The NHL has announced that Sergei Bobrovsky (Florida Panthers), Connor Hellebuyck (Winnipeg Jets), and Thatcher Demko (Vancouver Canucks) have been named as the finalists for the Vezina Trophy. The award is handed out to the “the goaltender adjudged to be the best at his position.”
The award will be given out at the NHL Awards show later this year.
Bobrovsky is coming off of a season in which he tallied a 36-17-4 record to go along with a 2.37 goals-against-average, a .915 save percentage, and six shutouts. His 36 regular-season wins rank second in franchise history. During the 2023-24 season, he put together a 14-1-1 record from Dec. 23 to Feb. 20 and posted a 2.22 goals-against-average and a .922 save percentage.
The 35-year-old became the first Panthers’ Vezina Trophy finalist in the last 20 years. Roberto Luongo finished third in the Vezina Trophy voting back in 2003-04.
Hellebuyck tallied a 37-19-4 record, a 2.39 goals-against-average, a .921 save percentage, and five shutouts during the regular season. The veteran goaltender surrendered three or less goals in 50 of his 60 games this season.
The Jets netminder finished second in the NHL in wins and save percentage while ranking fourth in goals-against-average. Hellebuyck won the first Vezina Trophy in Jets history during the 2019-20 season.
Demko posted a 35-14-2 record, a 2.45 goals-against-average, a .918 save percentage, and five shutouts. He set career-highs in wins, goals-against-average, save percentage, and shutouts in 51 starts in 2023-24.
His 35 wins were tied for the fifth-most in franchise history with only Luongo (47) and Kirk MacLean (38) having more. If Demko captures the Vezina Trophy, he would be the first Canucks goalie to achieve the honor.
